Grape-fruit holder.



N. ERIGSON.

GRAPE FRUIT HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE22, 1915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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Iv Hummus 5f wag Q in did NILS lECSON, 0F GIBSON, INDIANA.

I b: PIE-FRUIT HOLDER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, ra, ltfltllti.

Application filed ,Tune' 22, 1915. Serial Ito. 35,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, Nms ERICSON, a subject of the King of Sweden,residing at Gib son, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, haveinvented new and useful Tmprovements in -Gr'a e-liruit Holders, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device designed especially for table use inholding a half or section of a divided grape fruit so that the fruit canbeheld conveniently in one hand while portions thereof are being removedfor' consumption by means of a spoon or other suitable article held inand manipulated by the other hand.

The object of the invention is to provide a holder of simpleconstruction by means of which a section of an eatable fruit of thecharacter described may be held and clamped in a secure manner, andlnsuch a way as to avoid the juiceof the fruit from coming in contact withthe hand or clothes of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder of thecharacter and for the purpose described which may be made as simple orornamental as desired, and which may be applied to the section of fruitand removed from the remaining sh'n in an easy and convenient manner.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing in wh1ch:

Figure l is a top plan view showing the device as used for holding ahalf section of grape fruit. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.Fig. 8 is a perspective view. of the device per cc. 7

The holder may be, and preferably is, formed of a single piece of springmetal, although it may be constructed of one or more pieces or sectionsof the same or difl'erent metals, as desired. Tn the present instance Thave shown the device constructed as made of several pieces of metal,primarily stamped out and afterward bent into proper form. As shown, theholder comprises a looped handle 1 and a pair of oppositely disposedjaws 2 and 3, the arms of the handle as well as the respective jawsbeing adapted to spread under pressure to a-predetermined extent andthen to contract by their resiliency or spring action. The jaws havetheir rear ends, which tend from the handle, in close proximity and arecurved on arcs which are somewhat less than semicircles, the opposite orfree ends of the aws being spaced to provide an entrance way or passage4 to and from the space between the jaws, the extremities of the jawsbeing provided with outwardly and contact with the skin of the fruit, sothat by moving the holder under a determined pressure the jaws willspread to allow the fruit to pass between them and will then close aboutthe fruit to securely hold the same. Tn order to hold the fruit againstupward or outward movement the jaws are provided with inwardly anddownwardly projecting spurs 6, which overhang the marginal edge of theskin of the fruit and may embed themselves slightly into the pulp of thefruit to prevent the latter from shifting toward the free ends of thejaws. The fruit is held against any possibility of downward movement ordisplacement under its own weight by supporting members 8, preferably ofthe form'shown, which project from the jaws downwardly and in wardly ondesired arcs of curvature so as to extend under and support the fruit inan eficient manner.

By the use of the holder constructed as described a portion of grapefruit which is to be served for consumption at the table may be easilyplaced in position. and held conveniently while it is being eaten,without liability of thefruit being displaced under the pressure of thespoon while the latter is belng used, or of the juice squirting or beingforced out on to the hand or clothes of the wearer, as occurs when thefruit is held in one hand while the other is being employed tomanipulate the spoon. The advantages of the device as a table articlewill thus be readily understood. lt will of course be apparent that theholder may be nickel-plated, silver-plated or otherwise renderedrust-proof and of attractive appearance, and that it may also be made toa greater'or less de ree ornamental to 4 suit the taste or fancy o theuser.

1. A grape fruitholder comprising a pair of substantially semi-circularspring jaws having their free ends separated to provide entrance passageto the space between the jaws, a handle connected with the jaws attending toward a point beneath the center of the space between saidjaws.

2. A grape fruit holder comprlsing a pair of substantially semi-circularspring jaws .having their free ends separated to provide an entranceassage to the space between the jaws, a han 1e connected with the jawsat a point diametrically opposite said passage, and a pair of V-shapedmembers secured to the respective jaws, said members having. theirvertex portions extending on curved lines beneath the jaws and inwardlytoward a point beneath the center of the space between said jaws, andhaving their arms projecting'inwardly above said jaws and terminatmg inspurs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.I NILS ERICSON.

. Witnesses:

J. RmDL, F. BARTLETT.

